CardioCel® for repair of congenital heart defects: nationwide results of over 1000 implants.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the mid-term performance of CardioCel for the repair of congenital heart defects. METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected from databases and hospital records in 3 congenital cardiac surgery centres in Australia. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests were used to test for associations between patient age, gender, patch type and site of implantation. Multivariable Cox regression was used to test whether any specific implantation site was associated with reintervention risk, after adjusting for age group, gender and patch type. RESULTS: A total of 1184 CardioCel patches were implanted in 752 patients under the age of 18 years. Median age at implant was 12 months [interquartile range (IQR) 3.6-84]. Median follow-up was 2.1 years (IQR 0.6-4.6). Probability of freedom from CardioCel-related reintervention was 93% [95% confidence interval (CI) 91-95] at 1 year, 91% (95% CI 88-93) at 3 years and 88% (95% CI 85-91) at 5 years, respectively. On multivariable regression analysis, aortic valve repair had a higher incidence of reintervention [hazard ratio (HR) = 7.15, P = 0.008] compared to other sites. The probability of reintervention was higher in neonates (HR = 6.71, P = 0.0007), especially when used for augmentation of the pulmonary arteries (HR = 14.38, P = 0.029), as compared to other age groups. CONCLUSIONS: CardioCel can be used for the repair of a variety of congenital heart defects. In our study, in patients receiving a CardioCel implant, reinterventions were higher when CardioCel was used to augment the pulmonary arteries in neonates and for aortic valve repair as compared to other sites.

Utility of routine chest radiographs after chest drain removal in paediatric cardiac surgical patients-a retrospective analysis of 1076 patients.

OBJECTIVES: Chest drains are routinely placed in children following cardiac surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of a clinically relevant pneumothorax and/or pleural effusion after drain removal and to ascertain if a chest radiograph can be safely avoided following chest drain removal. METHODS: This single-centre retrospective cohort study included all patients under 18 years of age who underwent cardiac surgery between January 2015 and December 2019 with the insertion of mediastinal and/or pleural drains. Exclusion criteria were chest drain/s in situ ≥14 days and mortality prior to removal of chest drain/s. A drain removal episode was defined as the removal of ≥1 drains during the same episode of analgesia ± sedation. All chest drains were removed using a standard protocol. Chest radiographs following chest drain removal were reviewed by 2 investigators. RESULTS: In all, 1076 patients were identified (median age: 292 days, median weight: 7.8 kg). There were 1587 drain removal episodes involving 2365 drains [mediastinal (n = 1347), right pleural (n = 598), left pleural (n = 420)]. Chest radiographs were performed after 1301 drain removal episodes [mediastinal (n = 1062); right pleural (n = 597); left pleural (n = 420)]. Chest radiographs were abnormal after 152 (12%) drain removal episodes [pneumothorax (n = 43), pleural effusion (n = 98), hydropneumothorax (n = 11)]. Symptoms/signs were present in 30 (2.3%) patients. Eleven (<1%) required medical management. One required reintubation and 2 required chest drain reinsertion. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of clinically significant pneumothorax/pleural effusion following chest drain removal after paediatric cardiac surgery is low (<1%). Most patients did not require reinsertion of a chest drain. It is reasonable not to perform routine chest radiographs following chest drain removal in most paediatric cardiac surgical patients.

Cinematic versus volume rendered imaging for the depiction of complex congenital heart disease.

INTRODUCTION: Planning for surgical intervention for patients with complex congenital heart disease requires a comprehensive understanding of the individual's anatomy. Cinematic rendering (CR) is a novel technique that purportedly builds on traditional volume rendering (VR) by converting CT image data into clearly defined 3D reconstructions through the stimulation and propagation of light rays. The purpose of this study was to compare CR to VR for the understanding of critical anatomy in unoperated complex congenital heart disease. METHODS: In this retrospective study, CT data sets from 20 sequential scanned cases of unoperated paediatric patients with complex congenital heart disease were included. 3D images were produced at standardised and selected orientations, matched for both VR and CR. The images were then independently reviewed by two cardiologists, two radiologists and two surgeons for overall image quality, depth perception and the visualisation of surgically relevant anatomy, the coronary arteries and the pulmonary veins. RESULTS: Cinematic rendering demonstrated significantly superior image quality, depth perception and visualisation of surgically relevant anatomy than VR. CONCLUSION: Cinematic rendering is a novel 3D CT-rendering technique that may surpass the traditionally used volumetric rendering technique in the provision of actionable pre-operative anatomical detail for complex congenital heart disease.

Performance of CardioCel in Cardiac Surgery: A Systematic Review.

A systematic review was performed for evaluation of the performance of CardioCel® in cardiac surgery. The review included all studies published from January 2013 to December 2020. We conclude that CardioCel is a strong, flexible tissue substitute with good handling characteristics and a low incidence of thrombosis, aneurysm formation, infection, or structural degeneration. It can be used for a variety of intracardiac and extracardiac repairs of congenital heart defects in all age groups with good durability at mid-term follow-up. However, the use of CardioCel in certain positions requires caution. Information on the long-term performance of CardioCel is lacking.

A single-centre, retrospective study of mid-term outcomes of aortic arch repair using a standardized resection and patch augmentation technique.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the mid-term outcomes after the repair of aortic arch using a standard patch augmentation technique. METHODS: The study included all patients who underwent repair of a hypoplastic/interrupted aortic arch (IAA) in a single institute from June 2012 to December 2019 by a standardized patch augmentation (irrespective of concomitant intra-cardiac lesions). End points evaluated were reintervention for arch obstruction and persistent/new-onset hypertension. RESULTS: The study included 149 patients [hypoplastic aortic arch, n = 92 (62%), IAA, n = 9 (6%), Norwood procedure, n = 48 (32%)]. The patch material used for augmentation of the aortic arch included pulmonary homograft (n = 120, 81%), homograft pericardium (n = 18, 12%), CardioCel® (n = 9, 6%) and glutaraldehyde-treated autologous pericardium (n = 2, 1%). The median age and weight at surgery were 7 days [interquartile range (IQR) 5-17 days] and 3.5 kg (IQR 3-3.9 kg), respectively. The median follow-up was 3.27 years (IQR 1.28, 5.08), range (0.02, 8.76). Freedom from reintervention at 1, 3 and 5 years was 95% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 89%, 98%], 93% (95% CI = 86%, 96%) and 93% (95% CI = 86%, 96%) respectively. One patient (0.6%) had persistent hypertension 8 years after correction for interrupted arch with truncus arteriosus. CONCLUSIONS: Repair of hypoplastic/IAA by transection and excision of all ductal tissue and standardized patch augmentation provide good mid-term durability. The freedom from reintervention at 5 years is >90%. The incidence of persistent systemic hypertension following arch reconstruction is low. The technique is reproducible and applicable irrespective of underlying arch anatomy.

Cerebral Infarction During Cervical Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Children: Can it be Predicted?

Veno-arterial extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) in children is often established by cannulation of the right carotid artery and the right internal jugular vein. Cerebral infarction which is sometimes seen in such cases may be secondary to an incomplete circle of Willis. We present 3 cases with VA ECMO using cervical cannulation who suffered cerebral infarction which may be attributed to an incomplete circle of Willis.

Subperiosteal Orbital Hematoma From SVC Occlusion During Cardiac Surgery: To See or Not to See.

We present a case in which the superior vena cava (SVC) cannula was inadvertently clamped for a short while during cardiopulmonary bypass, completely occluding SVC drainage. This resulted in a rarely seen complication - bilateral subperiosteal orbital hematomas causing orbital compartment syndrome. Other instances of intentional SVC occlusion include during the creation of a bidirectional cavo-pulmonary shunt and for emergency control of bleeding during thoracic surgery.

Calcification Causing Failure of Tissue Engineered Bovine Pericardium After Aortic Valve Repair.

CardioCel® is bovine pericardium which is subjected to a novel tissue engineering process (ADAPT®) to reduce cytotoxicity and retard calcification while maintaining strength and elasticity. We present a case where CardioCel® showed rapid degeneration and calcification after repair of an aortic valve.

Outcomes of pulmonary valve leaflet augmentation for transannular repair of tetralogy of Fallot.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the midterm results of pulmonary valve leaflet augmentation in transannular repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). METHODS: From 2007 to 2019, 131 patients underwent a transannular repair with pulmonary leaflet augmentation for TOF (n = 120) and double outlet right ventricle with pulmonary stenosis (n = 11). Patch material was expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (n = 76), glutaraldehyde-treated autologous pericardium (n = 47) and bovine pericardium (n = 8). RESULTS: Median age at repair was 8.9 months (interquartile range, 5.4-14.8). There was no operative mortality. Median follow-up was 6.25 years (interquartile range, 2.77-7.75). Freedom from severe pulmonary regurgitation (PR) was 85% (95% confidence interval [CI], 77%-90%) and 76% (95% CI, 66%-83%) at 1 and 5 years, respectively. Freedom from moderate or greater PR was 69% (95% CI, 60%-76%) and 30% (95% CI, 21%-39%) at 5 and 10 years, respectively. Three patients required pulmonary valve replacement for PR. Nine patients required pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty. Freedom from intervention for pulmonary valve stenosis was 98% (95% CI, 93%-99%) and 94% (95% CI, 87%-97%) at 1 and 5 years, respectively. One patient with severe PR had an indexed right ventricular volume >160 mL/m2. Use of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene resulted in a greater freedom from moderate or greater PR (log-rank test P < .001; Cox regression hazard ratio, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.25-0.63; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: At midterm follow-up of transannular repair with pulmonary valve leaflet augmentation, severe PR occurs in less than 50% of patients. The expanded polytetrafluoroethylene patch performs better than pericardium.